Skipping School
by alwaysholdingontostars
Summary: Stefan de-aged and being raised by Damon pre-series: before they move back to mystic falls which might happen later in the story, the brothers disagree on a lot but in the end they love each other, contains spanking
1. Chapter 1

13-Year-old Stefan quietly opened the front door of the house he lived in with his older brother. Even though he knew trying to be quiet was no use because of Damon's vampire senses. As he closed the door and set down his backpack he heard Damon call from the kitchen

"Stefan, come here."

He doesn't sound mad, Stefan thought, but Damon's mood was always hard to judge.

Stefan had gotten de-aged thirteen years ago during a run in with a witch. Damon had been raising him ever since with some help from Lexi. They weren't sure what was going to happen when Stefan reached 17, the age he had been stuck at for 146 years before the accident. Stefan didn't remember anything about his "former life". The transformation had been hardest on Damon, he had had to step up and raise a kid. In Lexi's opinion Damon made an excellent father figure. His love for Stefan outweighed his self-destructive tendencies.

Stefan slowly made his way to the kitchen. He rounded the corner and saw Damon standing and Alaric sitting at the table, weapons laid out in front of him. Alaric and Damon take it upon themselves to keep the bad guys in the supernatural community of Durham, North Carolina at bay. Alaric is a history teacher turned vampire hunter after the disappearance of his wife. Stefan stood in the doorway while Damon and Ric argued about something. Damon looked up.

" How was school today" he shot at Stefan.

Stefan couldn't tell if Damon knew he had skipped or not. Damon was anal about Stefan going places alone especially if there were any bad vampires around. When he had gotten de-aged Stefan had been reduced to a sort of vampire/human hybrid. He was stronger and faster than humans but not nearly as strong as vampires. He could either eat food or drink blood for nourishment. But the smell of blood could get him to feed if he was hungry enough. Damon was afraid that those with grudges against the Salvatore's would take advantage of Stefan's weakened state.

Stefan decided to assume that Damon didn't know he had skipped.

"It was fine". He answered.

Damon's eyes narrowed and Stefan knew immediately that he had said the wrong thing.

"You want to tell me why I got a call from the school today, saying you disappeared after lunch."

Stefan frowned at the floor not answering.

"Didn't I just speak to you about wandering off alone, what was so important that you had to leave school" Damon prompted.

Stefan just shrugged, still looking at the floor.

"Stefan." Damon said raising his voice, startling Stefan into looking up.

"Nothing… I just didn't want to be there"

Damon took a few steps toward him. "I want the truth"

"That is the truth, I just walked around town and then came home." Stefan exclaimed indignantly.

Damon scrutinized Stefan for a minute. "I'll be walking you to and from school from now on, until I can trust you again."

"What?" Stefan exclaimed, "No, that's not fair"

"I don't want to hear it, I'm not changing my mind. I don't know what has gotten into you lately"

Stefan just glared back, if looks could kill…and Damon was struck by how much like his old self he seemed, always moody. Stefan turned to walk out but Damon grabbed him by the arm.

"Have you had blood yet this week?"

Stefan mostly ate regular food but Damon made him drink blood once a week to satisfy his craving for it.

"I'm not hungry" Stefan retorted trying to pull out of Damon's grasp.

"That's not what I asked you" Damon replied, "I don't want you to get too thirsty and loose control."

"That was one time Damon, I'm older now"

Stefan was surrounded all day by Humans, smelling their blood. He had been sort of homeschooled until he begged Damon to send him to real school which Damon was very wary about. Stefan had lost control at school once before. The girl lived but Damon had had to compel a lot of people. Then they had moved to North Carolina where they met Alaric.

Damon poured a glass of blood and set it on the counter in front of Stefan.

"Drink." He said

"I _said_ I'm not hungry". Stefan answered.

"I don't care, you can stand there until you are then"

Stefan pouted fighting an internal battle. He couldn't decide whether to just appease Damon or keep his pride. Pride winning out he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. Damon, without missing a beat grabbed it out of his hand and set it on the counter.

"No phone."

Stefan made a noise of frustration and Damon and Alaric went back to their conversation. Stefan began playing with the glass, bringing it closer and closer to the edge of the counter. Damon noticed out of the corner of his eye but kept quiet, it was Stefan's funeral.

"Stefan, Ric and I are going out on a job tonight, so you'll have to get ready to go to Lexi's"

Still playing with the glass, not drinking it, "What if I don't want to go to Lexi's?" Stefan answered smartly.

"You don't get a choice" Damon shot back.

There was a short pause and then a loud crash as Stefan let the glass fall and it shattered, blood splattering his shoes. He stared at the mess, not wanting to see Damon's face. Everyone froze for a minute. Then Damon walked around the table to stand in front of Stefan.

"You can go to your room now" he said in a dangerously quiet voice.

In one final act of defiance Stefan reached to take his phone with him but before he could grab it Damon had him by the arm. He turned Stefan towards the door giving him a harsh smack to the behind to propel him forward.

"Oww" Stefan exclaimed

"You can stay in your room and think about your attitude" Damon said to Stefan's back

"I hate you" Stefan flung back, and he was gone.

Damon stared after him until he heard Stefan's bedroom door slam, which was even audible to Ric's human ears.

"Whew" said Alaric "I thought you were gonna kill him."

Damon turned. "I still might, _what_ a brat."

Upstairs Stefan threw himself on his bed and let the tears fall. He had so many emotions coursing through him. He was frustrated, sad, embarrassed, he didn't want Damon to be mad at him, but he was stubborn.

Damon was fuming downstairs; he was cleaning up the broken glass. What has gotten into Stefan he thought, missing the days when Stefan was little and cute and also when he was a self-sufficient hundred year old vampire.

Damon heard the front door open again and heard Lexi call out hello as she walked into the kitchen.

"What's going on?" she asked

"Ric and I are going hunting tonight, remember, you said you'd watch Stefan"

"Oh yeah, where is he?" Stefan usually greeted her right away.

Damon gave a short mirthless laugh.

"What happened?" Lexi asked

"Stefan and I had a disagreement, I sent him to his room"

Lexi sighed. "What did you argue about?"

"Well, Stefan skipped school today, I'm also pretty sure there's a new vampire in town"

"Where'd he go?"

"He claims he just went walking, I told him I'll be taking him to and from school until I can trust him to get there, and stay there, by himself."

Lexi then noticed the broke pieces of the glass in the sink, covered in blood.

Damon followed her gaze, "Stefan threw a tantrum." He said by way of explanation.

"Great. Angsty teenager Stefan, what do we do?"

"Treat him like we have for the past thirteen years…. Like our kid." Damon answered

Lexi nodded and then made her way to Stefan's room.

As Lexi walked in Stefan was digging through a drawer, looking for something.

He looked up, "Hey Lexi" he said nervously. He knew that Damon probably told her what he had done. She definitely didn't condone his wandering off alone either.

Lexi sat on Stefan's bed, "Come here, want to tell me about today?"

Stefan came to stand in front of her. She could see him struggling to find the right words, refusing to meet her eye.

"Stef?" she said gently, seeing that he had been crying.

Stefan looked up and said as pathetically as he could muster, tearfully, "Damon hit me."

Lexi's face darkened, grabbing Stefan's wrist she turned him to the side and landed a quick smack on his behind. "Don't you try to manipulate me Stefan Salvatore."

Stefan stared at Lexi, too stunned to react. He would never have believed that his Lexi would smack him if it hadn't just happened.

Lexi knew how Damon worked and he would never "hit" Stefan in the way Stefan was trying to make her to believe. Damon would however dole out a spanking if it was necessary.

"Tell me the whole truth" Lexi said sternly holding Stefan in front of her.

Startled into being completely honest Stefan said " I skipped school and dropped a glass on purpose, and Damon smacked me and sent me to my room."

"Why did you skip school?" Lexi continued the interrogation.

Stefan paused for a minute "…Because the girl I like likes my friend Mike" Stefan answered shamefacedly

Lexi almost laughed but kept herself in check, what a perfectly teenage boy thing to do. Her tone softened.

"Oh honey, you can't go wandering off alone, and you have to stop giving Damon a hard time."

"He just makes me so mad, and now he's going to walk me to and from school and I don't want him to. I'm not a baby."

"You shouldn't have skipped school then" came Damon's retort from the doorway. He had been leaning against the doorframe, arms folded, unnoticed.

He addressed Lexi. "Ric and I are leaving." He turned to Stefan, "Behave, Stefan." Damon demanded with a look that promised trouble if Stefan did otherwise.

As Damon left Lexi glanced back to Stefan taking in his pout and petulant look.


	2. Chapter 2

Damon had left with Alaric so it was just Lexi and Stefan in the house. It was about 6:30 and already dark because it was February.

When Damon had said goodbye Stefan's temper had flared again.

Lexi sensing his anger said, "Come on downstairs, I'll make you something to eat." When Stefan didn't answer she said, "Damon loves you very much, don't be angry with him."

"All Damon ever does is tell me what I can and can't do" Stefan answered angrily. "I just want to be normal like everyone else at school, with parents and siblings, no vampires or blood. No other thirteen year old has to be babysat by like a million year old vampire on a Friday night."

Lexi stood up and strode angrily to Stefan's bedroom door.

"I think you need more time alone to think." She growled, slamming the door behind her.

Stefan immediately felt a bit guilty, taking it out on Lexi. She had always been there for him, the closest thing to a mother he had. But he was in a downward spiral tonight; it's hard to stop when you're in such a bad mood already.

Downstairs Lexi poured herself a drink. Her feelings were definitely hurt. Her and Stefan almost never fought about anything. She was the fun one in her and Damon's parental tag team. She thought maybe it was because the swatted Stefan, something that she'd never done before. Lexi called her friend Mary, she hadn't seen here in five years, which at their age wasn't that long at all. They began catching up on everything and Lexi all but forgot about her bratty Stefan upstairs.

Upstairs Stefan got an instant message from his friend Charlie.

Charlie: dude you gotta come meet us at the clearing tonight

The clearing was a known hang out spot for teenagers doing illicit things.

Stefan: why? What's going on?

Charlie: dan scored a bottle of vodka from his brother; we're meeting there and trying to get the girls to come.

Stefan: are you sure that's the best spot? I'm pretty sure the cops know about it by now

Charlie: don't be a pussy Salvatore, I'll see you there

Charlie signed off and Stefan sighed. He knew "the girls" meant charlotte and her friends. The same Charlotte who Stefan had a huge crush on, who allegedly liked Mike.

Stefan didn't like Charlie all that much; he was kind of a jerk in Stefan's opinion. One of those kids who hit high school and all that's on their mind suddenly is substance abuse and trying to get into girl's pants.

Stefan still didn't really know if that was his "thing" but he was pissed at Damon and there was a chance that Charlotte might be there.

The reason why Damon was so upset about his wandering off alone never crossed his mind as he zipped up a warm hoodie and climbed out the window and down the big oak tree that grew outside it. He probably could have jumped and been okay but he didn't want Lexi to hear him. He had turned his music on loud, praying that she wasn't listening for his breathing.

Stefan jogged a bit until he reached Charlie's house, it was now about 9 o' clock. He walked around the side and tapped on Charlie's bedroom window, conveniently on the first floor. Charlie's face suddenly appeared in the window, shocked, he yanked the window open.

"Scared me half to death Salvatore, what are you doing here"

"I had to sneak out, you know how Damon is." Stefan answered

"Hold on" Charlie said closing the window. A minute later he was outside beckoning to Stefan. "I guess we can go over early, scope it out"

Stefan just shrugged and fell in step with Charlie only half listening to his mindless chatter about this girls "tits" or that girls "ass".

Stefan was thinking about how mad Damon would be if he found out, when he found out he corrected himself.


	3. Chapter 3

Charlie and Stefan arrived early. "Man, it's frickin cold out" Charlie complained huddled at the base of a tree, "Dan better hurry up."

About a half hour later Dan and Mike arrived, Dan toting a backpack.

"The girls aren't here yet?" Mike asked hopefully.

"Nope, they better get here soon, you got the stuff?" Charlie directed at Dan.

"Yeah", he said pulling the bottle of vodka and some plastic cups out of the backpack.

"Let's take shots" Mike suggested.

The other boys joked around while they tried to guess how much was exactly a shot in the plastic cups, Stefan was quiet but drank the cup they handed to him.

They heard them before the saw them, three girls giggling uncontrollably as they made their way to the clearing.

"I'm gonna scare 'em" Charlie said, dashing off into the woods.

Next the guys heard earsplitting screams, then, "Gawd Charlie you are such an idiot"

The girls had arrived. When they reached where the boys were sitting the brunette, Charlotte said "Hey guys"." both Stefan and Mike answered at the same time."Hey Charlotte"

They had all settled into a circle and were about to take the boys second drink and the girl's first when a truck pulled up.

"Elizabeth Anne" a voice boomed.

"Daddy?" the small blonde said weakly

Everyone looked at each other not sure what to do. It's not like they had a choice Mr. Arnold was already out of the truck and he already knew them all by name, there was no where to run.

"Get in the truck" he addressed Liz.

"But Dad.." Elizabeth started to protest, the tears of humiliation beginning. "Now Elizabeth" Mr. Arnold cut her off.

"You all better give me your parents numbers" when no one spoke he added "They're all gettin a call from me no matter what… Michael Abrams?"

he went down the row, calling each kids parents telling them he would take all the kids to Main Street, where there was a park, right smack dab in the middle of town. Mr. Arnold finally got to Stefan "Tell me Damon's number" he said.

"Damon's out tonight" Stefan answered

"Give me a number"

So Stefan gave him the house number.

Lexi answered.

Lexi: Hello?

Mr. Arnold: Hi there this is Pete Arnold, I found Stefan along with my daughter and a bunch of other kids drinking in the woods, I'm just calling all the parents, I'm driving all the kids to Main if you wanna pick him up.

Lexi:…That's impossible Stefan's in his room.

Mr. Arnold: He's standin right next to me, wanna talk to him?

Lexi: Yes, please

Mr. Arnold handed the phone to Stefan.

Stefan: H-hello?

Lexi: Stefan Salvatore I have never been so angry as I am right now, I'm calling Damon and one of us will pick you up

Stefan: No, please Lexi don't, (Lexi hung up) tell him, Stefan finished saying to the dead line

"Everyone in the truck" Mr. Arnold said

The ride to the park was way too short, and then came the parade of angry parents thanking Mr. Arnold and dragging their kids away with them.

Stefan fidgeted nervously, glancing about until he saw him. Damon sauntering down Main Street, hands in his pockets.

Damon ignored Stefan at first reaching to shake Mr. Arnold's hand. "Thank you Pete, Lexi gave me the call, I was right down the street"

"Just tryin to keep our kids safe"

Damon fixed his gaze on Stefan, "Were you or weren't you already grounded"

Stefan blushed 10 shades of red at being asked this question in front of Charlotte.

Damon didn't wait for an answer "Let's go" he said sharply and began walking in the direction of their house. Stefan followed slowly, dragging his feet.

Stefan waited for the outburst the entire walk, when was Damon going to start yelling? But Damon didn't say a word.

He was reflecting. When Lexi had called him, he had gotten a million horrible thoughts about what could have happened to Stefan and his friends in those woods. Sure he and Alaric had caught the new vampire responsible for two deaths, but what if they hadn't? And he had just finished reprimanding Stefan for going off alone. Stefan had to know the dangers; he had raised him smarter than that. This pattern of disobedience had to stop.

The arrived at the house to find a teary eyed Lexi.

She took in the sight of them. "I-I can't." she said putting her coat on and choking back a sob. "I'll be by tomorrow" she said and was out the door

Damon rounded on Stefan.

"How could you do this after what we just talked about?"

"Maybe if you were'nt so controlling it wouldn't be like this." Stefan shouted back

"When I tell you to do something I have a good reason, you're going to start listening to me"

"Screw you." Stefan spat and started to turn towards the stairs.

Stefan didn't get very far as Damon wrapped an arm around Stefan's waist lifting him clean off the ground and tucking him under his arm. Damon backed up to half sit/half lean against the back of the couch. Stefan's upper body hung down the front of the couch while his legs kicked out into free air. Stefan struggles against Damon's hold but he had a good grip on Stefan's waist, held tightly against his own body.

Realizing Damon's intentions Stefan screamed "Damon.. No!" as Damon raised his hand and smacked the seat of Stefan's tight gray jeans. Damon refused to stop as Stefan wriggled and kicked his converse clad feet.

"I'm very disappointed in your choices, Stefan" Damon said still smacking.

"Ow", smack, "Da-smack-mon", smack.

After awhile Stefan started to plead with Damon.

"I'm" smack "ow", "so", smack "So-smack gasp-REEE". The tears began to leak out for the second time that day.

Damon started smacking Stefan's upper thighs as well. "Can you talk to me with out being a brat now?".

"Y-yesss, please stop Damon" Stefan wailed

Damon stood and lowered Stefan to his feet in one motion.

Stefan took a shaky breath and then began to sob, he covered his face with his hands. He then surprised Damon by closing the distance between them. Stefan buried his face in Damon's chest grabbing fistfuls of Damon's shirt in his hands, holding on as is his life depended on it. Damon put one hand on the back of Stefan's head, holding him there, and began to rub his back with the other one.


	4. Chapter 4

When Stefan finally calmed down Damon led the miserable boy to the kitchen. He hadn't eaten since lunchtime and it was now almost midnight. As Stefan stood eating Damon stepped into the hallway to call Lexi.

As the phone was ringing Damon thought back to when he had gotten the call from Lexi that Stefan had been de-aged. It had been back when Damon and Stefan weren't taking. Damon had been indifferent at first, pretending not to care. Lexi insisted that he come see his brother. When Damon arrived Lexi was a mess. Damon had told her that he could handle it, Stefan was his blood after all, but Lexi had protested saying that she didn't trust Damon alone with a baby. Thus began their partnership in re-raising Stefan.

Lexi: Hello?

Damon: Are you okay?

Lexi: Yes, I just couldn't stop thinking. What if something had happened to him on my watch? Sometimes I think that I forget that he's a child and not the same Stefan who was my friend.

Damon: …..It's not your fault, he knows better

Lexi: What if this is Stefan going off the rails again?

Damon: This isn't bloodlust though; this is Stefan being a bratty teenager.

Lexi: I guess you're right, I'll see you guys tomorrow.

Damon walked back into the kitchen and stood on the opposite side of the counter facing Stefan. After a minute Stefan began to squirm under Damon's gaze. He was suddenly very conscious of the fact that he had nothing to do with his hands.

"Tell me about today" Damon finally said

"Um, well" Stefan said. "I don't know what happened" and looking distressed he added "I'm sorry" in almost a whisper, not looking Damon in the eye.

"You had to know there was no way I wouldn't find out when Lexi realized you were missing. So why'd you do it?"

"I just want to do normal things"Stefan half-whined.

"You're not normal, and today you've managed to skip school, throw a tantrum, and then sneak out to drink with your friends in the woods, and yet you insist that I stop treating you like a child. I don't think you've ever acted more immature than you did today."

Stefan's eyes refilled with tears.

Damon sighed. "Why don't you go get some sleep, we'll talk more tomorrow" Damon promised.

Stefan stared determinately at the floor as he walked passed Damon and went up to his room.

About a half hour later Damon dragged himself up the stairs, he slowly opened Stefan's door. Stefan was laying facedown on the bed, with his shoes and jeans still on. Damon smiled sadly at his little brother. He quietly crossed to the bed and pulled off Stefan's sneakers. After covering him with a blanket Damon left Stefan's room, reclosing the door behind him.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you for the nice reviews!

Stefan started awake the next morning and rolled over. He felt the smarting in his backside, damn Damon's vampire strength, and yesterday's events all came rushing back to him. Stefan groaned, embarrassed. Damon hadn't spanked him in awhile; Stefan assumed he had gotten to old for that.

He slowly showered and changed knowing that he would have to face Damon again sometime. After an internal debate Stefan headed downstairs, he heard voices in the dining room as he slowly descended the stairs. Stefan paused, listening.

"Yesterday was a disaster."

"You're telling me, all in one day."

"I just don't understand what could have possessed him, how many times have I warned him, he knows what Ric and I do."

"It's scary when he gets reckless like this."

Stefan frowned from his spot on the stairs. Lexi and Damon were discussing him.

"And Monday I have to go talk to his principal about his disappearing act."

Stefan started to retreat up the stairs when they creaked loudly.

Damon and Lexi's conversation halted.

"Stef?" Damon called

Stefan swallowed. "Yeah?" he answered

Suddenly Damon was in the dining room doorway beckoning to Stefan.

Stefan entered the room quietly. After a pause Damon prompted, "Do you have something to say?"

Stefan bit his lip. "I'm sorry Lexi"

Lexi watched Stefan's cheeks redden and her anger dissipated a bit.

"You know better"

Stefan nodded.

"Tell me." Lexi began, "If Damon was home would you have snuck out?"

Stefan was surprised by the question, "Um"

"That's what I thought, no more nice Lexi if you're going to act like this" Lexi was a little put out that Stefan would disrespect her the way he did. She had always thought her approach to "parenting" was better than Damon's but last night's events had her questioning her philosophy.

Stefan stared back at her with wide eyes.

"Sit down and eat something" Damon interjected.

"Damon…" Stefan began but was silenced with a look.

Stefan sat gingerly and Damon poured cereal into a bowl setting it in front of him. Also at his place was the stupid glass of blood, Stefan resisted the urge to roll his eyes, that stupid glass had made everything 100 times worse yesterday. If only he hadn't dropped it.

"Stefan you understand why we're so upset, right?" Damon asked

"_Yess_." Stefan retorted with an edge to his voice.

Damon's eyes flashed. "Looks like you're already having trouble sitting, little brother." It was a warning, if Stefan was going to cop an attitude again, well, two could play at that game.

Stefan blushed again, and looked down.

"Right, well I think we have all learned some valuable things, no more making rash decisions just because you're angry with me." Damon said with classic Damon sarcasm.

Stefan brought the glass of blood to his lips and took a sip, "Oh and I wanted to tell you that we're moving back to Mystic Falls" Damon added nonchalantly. Stefan sputtered, surprised, and the blood went down the wrong way. Stefan began to cough. Damon clapped him on the back "You alright there, Stef?".


End file.
